Exhibition Snapshot: Boom Design

While on the exhibition floor of Dwell on Design, it's hard to miss the curious crowds swarming around the playful modular shelves of Boom Design. We talked to Craig Varterian, entrepreneur and designer, about how he started it all.

After being in the journalism industry for many years, Craig Varterian embraced his passion for furniture design and began his business in 1994 out of his LA garage with one saw and one nail gun.

Today, his iconic pieces include the reconfigurable hexagons of Hive, the rounded corners of Metro Cubes, and the elegant seemingly floating Spin photo frames. He has designed for CB2, Crate and Barrel, and even holds several design patents, one of which is for his clever stainless-steel pins that anchor his signature modular pieces together.

Much of his work is made from 90% recycled black walnut, medium-density fiberboard, and 100% recycled cast aluminum. Varterian has also recently begun the Miniboom line, which is dedicated to modern design for children. He lives, works, and teaches in Thailand.

When asked about how he feels about being a part of Dwell on Design this year, Varterian says, "Most of my demographic has traditionally been based in Europe, but here in the US, it's always been the Dwell audience, who I think are the best of the American market. Dwell gets it."